Rail-holding device



my 12, 1925. l f 1,537,474

P. KRIESEL mun HOLDING nsvrcn Filed Nov. 9. 192.5-

lum

Patented May 12, 1925.

UITED STATES PAUL KRIESEL, F CONOVER, WISCONSIN.

RAIL-HOLDING DEVICE.

Application filed November 9, 1923. Serial No. 673,761.

To all 107mm t may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL KRIESEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Conover, in the county of Vilas, State of lVisconsin, have invented a new and useful Rail-Holding Device; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use` the same.

rIhe invention relates to rail holding devices, and has for its object to provide a device of this character wherein the bases of oppositely disposed rails may be connected together in a manner whereby the rails are positively' held against movement away from, or towards each other, thereby obviating accident to railway trains incident to spreading rails.

`With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawing, described and claimed it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing z* Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view of adjacent rails showing the rail holding device applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view through thc turn buckle.

Figure il is a perspective view of one of the L-shaped clamping members.

teferring to the drawing, the numeral 1 designates adjacent railroad rails of a conventional form, and 2 the bases of said rails. 'It has been found that a great many accidents on railroads are caused by what is known as spreading rails and to obviate this difticulty the rail spread preventer is primarily designed. The spread preventer comprises horizontally disposed plates 3 adapted to engage the under sides of the bases 2 of the rails and are provided with hooked members 4l, which hook over the outer sides of the bases 2, and prevent outward movement of the rails in relation to each other. The inner ends of the plates 3 terminate in axially disposed shafts 5, which are threaded and have threaded thereon nuts 6. Also disposed on the threaded shafts 5 are L-shaped clamping members 7, which members engage the inner sides of the bases 2 of the rails and when the nuts 6 are tightened, prevent inward displacement of the L-shaped members and the rails 1, therefore in combination with the hooked members 4 securely clamp and hold the rails against displacement in relation to each other. The L-shaped members 7 have their opposite sides provided with flanges 8, which flanges engage the opposite sides of the plates 3 for preventing displacement or pivotal movement of the L-shaped members on the shafts 5, during the assembling of the device, or during the handling thereof. It will also be noted that the members 8 maintain the L-shaped members 7 in position without tightening the nuts 6, thereby allowing the device to be easily attached to the rails and handled during the attaching operation. Shafts 5 are provided with threaded reduced portions 9, which reduced portions are threaded at 10 into the opposite ends of the turn buckle 11, which turn buckle is provided with spaced elongated recesses or openings 12 in communication with each other, thereby allowing a tool 13, such for instance as a pinch bar to be inserted between the elongated members lll, formed by the openings 12 for imparting rotation to the turn buckle 11, and consequently moving the rails 1 towards or away from each other for properly adjusting themselves for the proper gage. The members 14 on their inner sides are provided with longitudinally disposed concavities 15, thereby forming longitudinally disposed sharp ribs 16 for engaging and biting into the turning tool 13, consequently prevents slipping of the tool during a turning operation.

It is to be noted that the members 14 have their inner sides or faces materially spaced from the axial center of the turn-buckle with the. side faces or walls thereof substantially radial to such center whereby the requisite insertion of the turning tool or bar 13 within either of the openings 12 is readily' permitted.

From the above it will be seen that a rail spread-preventing device is provided, which device is simple in construction, will positively prevent spreading of the rail.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful isz- A rail holding device comprising, in combination, members adapted to underlie the rails and engageable with the outer flanges Sti llU

thereof, the inner portions of. the members beingy provided with inwardly disposed the opposed end port-ions of the shafts; said turn-buckle being provided tlierearound Vwith three -entrance openings `/providing therebetween elongated membersnthe inner faces lofi which. terminating aomaterial distance outwardly of .thei ffaxialoenter of the l #turn-buckle with the' side faces of 'fthe'memlig 1,537,474

bers substantially radial to said axial eenv15 ter, theiarrangementof'isaidelongated members permitting the insertion of a turning bar within an entrance opening to Contact --withthesidewall of one of the members and the inner face of a second member.

' 'In testimony whereof I have signed my name to` thisspeoification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

" KRIESEL.

f lVitnesses:

FRANK NV CARTER, ARTHUR KRIESEL. 

